-
March 18, 2005 (edited)
Sound: First set, despite a strong Sugaree is plagued by problems in the mix, which seem to mostly clear up by BTW.
Billy's drums sound distant for most of the show.
The recording has a very roomy feel that is warm and good.
Things start to feel really special as we get treated to a jaunty Candyman... it's great to hear this version from the Midwest 1972 run. All in all, from Candyman on the show makes a solid contribution to a month already filled with amazing performances. This is the Grateful Dead near the peak of their pace of musical development, you feel like it's happening on a night-by-night basis. Must have been completely mind-blowing to be there, in Texas in November of 1972. Whole lotta shaking going on, that's for sure.
Candyman sets a tone, followed by a crowd-pleasing El Paso and revelatory Bird Song. It's pretty clear that the boys are somewhere in outer space tonight...
The Playin doesn't transcend its own continuum like the night of the 18th, but it does behave much like your standard 1972 version, with a lovely turnaround at about 6 minutes, leading into a long Phil-driven meditation. You can feel everyone in the room melting as Jerry's white-hot yet cool-as-ice licks drop in around 8 minutes. The 9th to 10th minutes are triumphant...
yet around 11 minutes into the song Jerry seems to have run out of ideas and you might think to yourself, "hmmm, well, it is near the end of the tour and the boys must be tired..."
But no! Leave it to Bobby to save the day with some blazing ryhthms -- Phil picks up on the forward momentum, Keith drops in with just the right note at
11:46 and at 12 minutes of Playin, the band GELS with a nice soulful run, a clear flashback to four nights earlier, with Jerry playing some of the same licks. The reminder that this Playin is an aftershock of 11/18 is brought home with a harsh cut at 14:28, bringing us right into the last 30 seconds ot the "coming down" riff.... bummer.
But fear not (and rest not) ye weary travelers of the Grateful Dead universe, for a great Casey Jones picks up the energy... driving that train indeed, leaving us hungry for a second set.
He's Gone and Truckin are standard quality 1972 versions. The jam out of Truckin sounds like a primordial Nobody's Fault.
The Other One is notable for its rather blatant mutation into a second-set Playin jam. I noticed that at some point but I can't remember exactly when... this version is well controlled and develops very nicely. Great playing from Bobby, again... a strong presence throughout this whole show.
12 minutes into The Other One, there's an absolutely wonderful Bobby-Keith duet, really gives you a moment with Bobby's chords. This is the highlight of the show for me. Jerry returns for a few more licks, and at the 14th minute, Phil and Billy start off a mad dash for the finish line. Ahhhh, a perfect, uniquely crafted jam... Another One for the ages!
The segue into Stella is very nice. The first verse gets off to a rocky start, but this Stella blossoms into a lovely radiant flower. This early version is worth a download.
Don't miss the Uncle John's encore, these fall 1972 versions make the later marriage with Playin seem so natural.
It's great to hear these shows.
Hooray for Dead Freaks!
Thanks for the free music!